ASLdeafined Weekly Newsletter – #DeafOutLoud, Sean Berdy, & More

ASLdeafined Weekly Newsletter – 8/17/2018

A&E is preparing to add another disability to the spotlight in their hit show Born This Way, broadcasting a special dedicated to the lives of Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing individuals.

A quick look into this special (shown in this video here) fills us with anticipation and excitement! We see a range of deaf individuals all emphasizing that the deaf can do anything (except hear) and that they live relatively normal lives. A man in the sneak peak says it best. “We’re not handicapped. We’re not hearing impaired. We’re not disabled. We’re just deaf.” We even get to see a quick glimpse at the families that we will see come September 12th, including The Garcias (a family of deaf parents with 4 deaf children and 2 hearing children). The special even features Marlee Matlin! We highly recommend watching and learning just what it means to be deaf (and what it doesn’t!)

Born This Way, now in their fourth season, is a reality show that allows us to peak into the lives of everyday people with Down Syndrome. They tackle cultural differences, love and relationships, employment, and other challenges that the seven cast members face on a regular basis. The show has been quite successful: Born This Way currently holds an 8.2/10 rating on IMDb, and holds three Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards!

Sean Berdy, via Wikipedia

Deaf History Spotlight: Sean Berdy!

Time for a little nostalgia as we take you back to one of the most classic movies, The Sandlot 2. Sean Berdy made his acting debut in this movie, portraying the character Sammy Samuelson. If that doesn’t ring a bell, then maybe you’d remember the infamous Emmett Blesdoe of Switched At Birth; Bay’s initial love-interest and son of Melody Blesdoe (Marlee Matlin)! Berdy is yet another deaf man that has made a name for himself in the entertainment industry. He recently guest starred in a civil rights episode of Drunk History, and has even made his music video; an ASL-interpretation of Enrique Iglesias’s song Hero.

Sean Berdy was born in Boca Raton, Florida and was raised in a Jewish Catholic household. He’s always been the performer, putting on comedy shows with his brother Tyler for his family and friends. Although Berdy is deaf, he attended mainstream schools in Florida and California. Sean Berdy also suffers from bipolar disorder, which he treats with meditation and exploration of nature.

ASLdeafined: The Gift of Sign Language

Now we know we’re getting a bit ahead of ourselves (Christmas is still a ways away…) but there’s never a bad time to give the gift of Sign Language, especially as your child heads back to school! There’s a lot of reasons why learning American Sign Language is beneficial:

Deaf children will have earlier access to communication, especially with their families.

Bilingual children are generally smarter.

Your child might want to make friends with a deaf kid at school.

You can talk through windows and underwater!

So much more!

ASLdeafined offers Gift Certificates, which can be purchased here. Give the gift of ASL, and help us teach the world to love Sign Language… one sign at a time.

Handshape of the Week: R!

The R-handshape involves crossing the index and middle fingers, as shown in the sign for RESPECT below. (RIP Aretha Franklin)

ASLdeafined is a subscription based website for American Sign Language (ASL) video lessons. The content is for anyone who wishes to learn ASL, regardless of age. It has been designed to instruct Deaf students, parents of Deaf children, and the community-at-large. You may cancel your subscription at any time. All lessons are taught by Deaf experts of ASL.